It might look like a dive bar, but it’s much classier inside.
Craft Beer Market is a chain of craft beer bars that are making big inroads across Tokyo since 2011. With five bars at the time of writing, Craft Beer Market provides a great range of Japanese craft beers at a decent, i.e. stupidly cheap, prices that are only rivalled by Craft Beer iBrew in Yurakucho. Craft Beer Market Toranomon is located smack in the middle of the Tokyo business district and gets busy quick! Every time we’ve been bar this time, we have had to make a booking so we got lucky!
Taps. Taps galore.
Craft Beer Market Toranomon was the first one of the chain we went to and has held a special place in our hearts ever since. Whenever we’ve had friends come over and heard them complain about the state of the beer in Japan, we point them in the direction of Craft Beer Market Toranomon and get them some reservations. It isn’t the easiest bar to get to by any means as it’s located down some back alley of the main street but it stands out from the gleaming office buildings and upmarket chain stores that surround it.
The beer list is updated daily in the Craft Beer Market Toranomon homepage.
Link: http://goo.gl/3w5rQ4
The beer menu consists of craft beers from across Japan, hence why it is so cheap. The beers come in a variety of sizes, in a glass or a pint though those descriptions vary across the selection. Generally, the glass, at ¥480, is about 250ml while the pint size, at ¥780, is a US pint 473ml. The extra strength beers come in much smaller glasses, at about 100ml. It’s also reassuring to know that those prices include tax; however, there is a table charge of ¥300 per person. A shame that it isn’t advertised though you do get some amazing spicy, vinegary pickles included. They were so good that I ordered a large serving of them. Make of that what you will.
Having such a wide selection of beers can only cause problems when it comes to selection, I’m not the quickest of deciders (Sorry, Colm!) [Rob has the infuriating habit of calling the staff over and THEN proceeding to decide what to order- I can only surmise that he takes great pleasure in the misery of others- Joe].
Craft Beer Market Toranomon really does cater for all tastes: if you fancy an IPA, then you’re in the right place. Porter or stout? Check. Fruit beers. Yes, most definitely. The IPAs featured heavily on our list as some of them were new to us. The Yonekyu IPA was crisp and hoppy which contrasted nicely against the Baird Suruga Bay Imperial IPA. The Johana Sakura was served by mistake as we originally wanted their IPA. Fruit beers are a hit-and-miss in our books though we got a glass of it, the overly-sweet, OTT peach flavour killed more of our taste buds than any IPA could do.
Do you like chips? Yes? Good, as this is a serious feast.
Seeing as we didn’t have much time, we had made plans to go see a concert, the food was given a miss besides some chips and the aforementioned pickles. There were so many chips in the portion that we got that we were stuffed. Who gets stuffed on chips?! I DO! There was some spicy pepper dusting on them along with some herbs thrown on top. After half the portion though it became a struggle. The next time, and there will be one, we come here, we’ll try some of the other food. If we can just get past the pickles.
Craft Beer Market Toranomon One Paragraph Review.
Simply put, Craft Beer Market Toranomon should be on every craft beer fan’s checklist to go and check out. The prices are great, the selection of beers even better, and the amount you will consume will be too much.
Craft Beer Market Toranomon Details.
Open: Monday to Friday lunch 11:30 – 14:00 / dinner 17:00 – 23:30 (L.O 23:00)
Phone: 03-6206-1603
Homepage (in Japanese): Craft Beer Market Toranomon
How to Get to Craft Beer Market Toranomon
Craft Beer Market Toranomon is best accessed from the Metro Toranomon station on the Ginza line. Take exit #1 and it’s about a five-minute walk from there.
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